In chemical genetics research, they are routinely used for searching proteins that bind with specific chemical compounds, and in general drug discovery research, they provide a multiplex way to search potential drugs for therapeutic targets.
The first form is to covalently immobilize the organic compounds on the solid surface with diverse linking techniques; this platform is usually called Small Molecule Microarray, which is invented and advanced by Dr. Stuart Schreiber and colleagues [1].
The last form is to spot organic compounds in a homogenous solution without immobilization and drying effect, this platform is developed by Dr. Dhaval Gosalia and Dr. Scott Diamond [3] and later commercialized as DiscoveryDot technology by Reaction Biology Corporation [4].
Research has also been directed towards studying the surface chemistry of these arrays to determine which surface chemistries control cell adhesion, although concerns have been raised as to the influence of the substrate on measurements and the questionable statistical interpretation of results.
The lack of control in the production of many of these polymer arrays suggests that any practical application of these technologies will be limited.